Ms. Blevins spoke: This came out of Streets & Sewers with a 2-0 approval, we will have a public hearing tonight.

Public Hearing is now opened 7:33 PM.

Mr. Robert Jordan spoke: I live at 393 Toledo Ave, north of my house is the east/west alley – 399 I brought from the City Land Bank. I want to combine both of these lots. I was told to vacate the alley. I mow it now – it’s just grass. I’ve done a lot to maintain the area. There is still an alley beyond that, they don’t use the alley around my property.

Mayor Schertzer said this was passed through City Planning unanimously. This was brought from the City Land Bank; this is a successful sale through that. It’s an unimproved alley, however we don’t condone using the RR’s alley.

RESOLUTION CONFIRMING THE RE-APPOINTMENT, BY THE MAYOR, OF DOMENICK MAROCCO, AS A MEMBER OF THE MARION ENTERPRISE ZONE-COUNTY TAX INCENTIVE REVIEW COUNCIL

Mayor Schertzer spoke: You’ll see more appointments in the beginning of the year. Mr. Marocco works closely with Regional Planning and review the tax incentives issues. Typically, they meet once a year.

ORDINANCE AMENDING MARION CITY CODE SECTION 941.16 DIRECTOR OF AVIATION IN ORDER TO BRING SAME MORE UP TO DATE, as amended

Mr. Ratliff said this came out of committee with a 2-0 recommendation to pass onto Council, I’ll ask for a 1st reading tonight. ORDINANCE 2016-48 HAS HAD IT’S 1ST READING

ORDINANCE 2016-83:

ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING AND DIRECTING THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SAFETY TO ENTER INTO CONTRACT WITH OURS EXCAVATING FOR THE 2015 FY CDBG 219-221 BLAINE AVE. DEMOLITION PROJECT AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY

Mr. Ratliff said this came out of Committee with a 2-0 recommendation to send onto Council, it does have an ER clause on it, we want to get this done, it’s paid for by grant money to do it. I’m asking for a 1st reading tonight, making sure of the vetting issue and the contractor. ORDINANCE 2016-83 HAS HAD IT’S FIRST READING.

Mr. Cumston said we need to add Resolution 2016-27; Ord. 2016-84 and 2016-86; Mr. Ratliff 2nd; Mr. Thomas 3rd. All three are added to tonight’s agenda.

RESOLUTION 2016-27:

RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE AUDITOR TO MAKE A CASH ADVANCE FROM THE GENERAL FUND OF $3085.83 TO THE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER GRANT, SAID FUNDS TO BE REIMBURSED IN 1ST QUARTER OF 2017

Mr. Cumston noted that this came out of Finance tonight with a 2-0 approval, I’ll moved to suspend, Ms. Blevins 2nd. Roll call: Ayes all, motion carried.

ORDINANCE MAKING APPROPRIATION ADJUSTMENTS IN VARIOUS FUNDS FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2016

Mr. Cumston noted that this came out of Finance tonight with a 2-0 approval, I’ll moved to suspend, Mr. Huddle 2nd. Roll call: Ayes all, motion carried.

Mr. Cumston moved to adopt, Mr. Norris 2nd.

Mr. Ratliff publicly wanted to say this budget, with us using 200,000 in carryover, this adjustment ordinance, is putting in 240,000. We made the carryover up that we were going to use what we didn’t spend this year. I feel better than we did about a month ago. Mr. Cumston said in an emergency, we have some cash there to cover anything. We’ll be looking at this in the next couple of years, it’s going to tight spending.

Mr. Russell mentioned that on January 11, 2017 @ Harding HS will be the public hearing on the Aqua Water Rate Request. That will be at 6:30 PM.

It will be in the Community Room. They are asking 14%. The PUCO have found them at a justification of10%. We kept them out for about 2.5 years. 9 years – that would be a 9% increase. It takes people showing up and voicing the opinions on the rate increases. PUCO will take note of all of that. We have a partner working with us, which is the OCC. They have filed objections as well. Mr. Huddle asked about the responsibility of all of this construction of what is going on with the water and sewers. Mr. Russell said it has gotten better, it was much worse. The timing has been a lot better. Mayor Schertzer said we do work better with the Public Utilities. The coordination with our projects are much better than what it was 10 years ago. When they do repairs, they do a much better job of patching the repair of what have made on our city streets. Sometimes it takes them a while to get back – they subcontract that job out. They wait to have 5-10 jobs throughout the community and then get it done. Mr. Thomas said the water company does a good job in my ward. They are putting water lines underneath sidewalks rather than the streets. Mr. Cumston said locally the water company has been great. I do have distaste with them asking for rate increases. Mayor Schertzer said more sidewalks replaced this year in the city for the entire. Much have been done by the private utilities as well.

Sulu Kelley asked about the water company – getting us the consumption for the sewer billing. Mr. Caryer handed it that off to Andrea Honaker.

Andrea Honaker, Utility Billing Supervisor spoke: We receive weekly reads from Aqua, the consumption report is on a monthly basis. We just download. Mr. Kelley said in the past it was hard getting it, that is resolved? Ms. Honaker said definitely. If there are any issues, the customer connects Aqua and they contact us. Our records have to match.

With no further business to come before Council, Dr. Gray adjourned the meeting.